My Girlfriend and myself picked up a jack russell terrier 3 days ago and we have named him Todd. It is our first puppy.

We just have a few quick questions. We are wondering what the reprocussions are from picking up the puppy that young?
Is it a good idea to maybe bring him back with his mother for a couple of weeks? I'm not too sure.

Is there anything special we should do (i.e.: not put him in his crate for a couple weeks, different type of training/care taking?).

Should he be left alone for long periods of time? (there are periods of a couple hours where we have to, unfortunately)

How old is the pup?
I wouldn't take them less than six weeks. If he is younger than
that then be sure to spend alot of time with him.

I never had a JR but you might check our Dog Directory and under the
Jack Russell category and visit some owner sites. Visit the Dog Training
Forum for tips on puppy training. May be worthwhile to learn more about
the breed and puppy tips from owners.http://www.chazhound.com/dog/Dog_Sit...ier/index.html

Don't worry about his age, at six weeks they're old enough to go to a new family. Leaving him alone for a couple of hours shouldn't be a big deal, although my choice would be to confine him to an area where he can't get into anything dangerous. Jack Russells are curious, intelligent, athletic and very clever - especially when it comes to amusing themselves! A bathroom (with the toilet lid closed) is a good choice, or possibly the kitchen or a laundry room where you've double checked to make sure there is nothing toxic or potentially dangerous within his reach. But remember, a Jack Russell's reach is as high as he can jump or climb, even as a pup! Make sure he's got plenty of toys and things to chew on to keep him occupied, and make sure you've got water available to him in something he can't turn over too easily.

Brattina's probably our resident expert on crate training. There's a mathematical formula involving the dog's age that tells you how long you can expect to be able to confine your dog to a crate. I've never used a crate, so I'm completely useless on that question.

You and your girlfriend will have lots of fun with Todd. Jack Russell's can be a handful, though, and you've got to be firm with them or they will think they run the house. I know that sounds cute, but you can end up with a bossy, aggressive dog you can't trust if you aren't firm - but loving - from the very beginning. Jack Russells, like most dogs, behave best if they are doing what you want them to do because they love you and want to please you, not because they are afraid or intimidated.